Getting Out Alive
by The Travelling Author
Summary: Evanna's arrival through the Maze didn't sit well with many of the Gladers. She found herself in a hostile environment; fighting to survive, fighting to escape. But like everything else in her life, things don't go according to plan. Gally/OC
1. Caught

_Author's Note:_ Welp. It's been awhile since I've written a story, let alone post one. But after going to see the Maze Runner in theaters, I surprisingly fell in love with Gally's character. Not only because the actor who played him is quite attractive, but because I feel like he was a very dimensional character. I tried to find some good fanfics about Gally, but there really isn't many of them out there. So I wrote this not just for myself, but for all the fellow Gally fans out there.

For the story, I decided the plot was going to be a mix of the book and movie. And for the sake of where this story is going to be headed (this story will become M eventually), the age of the Gladers is late teens/early twenties.

I seriously hope you guys like this!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my character

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><p>Left, left, right, left, right.<p>

The pathways seemed never ending, confusing, and severely overgrown with vines. Evanna panted lightly as she ran, knowing her time was running short. She couldn't be seen. Not by them. Coming to a four way intersection, the realization hit her hard; she was lost.

Fighting the panic that crept through her, Evanna scanned the paths around her. A dead end, a never ending path, and a path that went down and to the left. Ignoring the first choice, she quickly glanced between her two options. She tried to find any type of familiarity, _anything_– to guide her back out of the hell she was in.

The sudden sound of scraping walls snapped her out of her thoughts. Her eyes locked onto the disappearing shadows on the wall. The panic she managed to contain seconds ago came back in full force.

"No no no no no," Evanna mumbled. Kicking into action, she took off down the long straight. Her breathe was harsh, sweat dripped down her face, her braided hair beat against her back in the rhythm of her pace, and her muscles screamed from over exertion.

Right, straight, right, left, left, right, straight, left—

"Is Ben behind you?"

Evanna froze in place as if a bucket of ice was dumped on her. She quickly backed herself into the vine covered wall beside her. Low and silent, she slid her way to the break in the wall. She peered around the edge.

She swiftly snapped back as someone came into view. Evanna covered her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. The overwhelming power of horror was coursing through her veins. She had never come this close to them –ever. It just never happened.

"He was at one point."

The voices were coming closer. She had to move.

Without a second thought, she turned around and grabbed the vines. She hoisted herself up with as little sound as she could make. She made it halfway up the wall before the unthinkable happened.

_-Snap-_

An involuntary gasp left Evanna's mouth. Her right foot swung helplessly below her as leaves drifted to the ground.

Silence. "What was that?"

Absolute dread filled her. How stupid could she be?

"Ben? That you?" More silence.

Evanna could barely hear the footsteps over the rushing pulse in her ears. Her grip tightened on the vines, pulling herself as close as possible to try and blend in.

She held her breath. Peering over her shoulder, she watched an Asian boy come around the corner where she had just been. He stopped and looked up and down the passage way. Unease was coming off of him in waves. He took a step forward.

_-Crunch-_

The boy's head snapped down to his foot. Taking a step back, he looked hard at ground. Evanna could almost hear the gears ticking in his head as he studied the foliage. She stiffened as his head moved to the bottom of the wall she was holding on to. His head started lifting slowly as his eyes scanned the vines.

She couldn't breathe. Everything she had done to stay out of sight was about to be destroyed in a matter of seconds.

Heavy footsteps echoed throughout the passage ways, tearing the boy's eyes away from the vines.

"Sorry about that." A third voice had joined them.

The Asian boy became distracted by the newcomer, leaving Evanna in a stupor among the vines. He disappeared around the corner completely.

"Where the shuck have you been?" "My shoe was untied." "Make sure everything's fine before we take off. We can't have you getting lost in here. It's not safe."

The second voice she heard spoke up, "Let's keep moving; this place is giving me the heebie geebies."

"Newt's right," one of them agreed. "We've already wasted enough shuckin' time here. We need to keep lookin' for an exit." The other two boys gave off verbal grunts of agreement. And soon, the echoes of footsteps began to edge farther away from Evanna.

Suppressing a nervous laugh, Evanna quickly maneuvered herself down the vines. She was ready to set off as her feet hit the ground and get out. But as soon as she turned to continue on the long straight path ahead of her, not more than fifty feet away from her stood the three boys from just moments ago.

Time seemed to freeze. It was if hours passed by before any of them could comprehend just what was happening. She could see the shock outlined clear as day on their faces. And she was sure they could see the look of absolute terror on hers.

All hell broke loose.

Evanna hastily spun around and darted off. The shouts of the boys reached her as they gave chase. Gasps wrenched themselves from her throat as she ran for her life. She didn't pay attention to where her feet carried her; she just needed to get away –and fast. The walls became a single blur as she raced down the pathways, twisting and turning every which way. She could hear the boys were closing in behind her.

Soon, the narrow walls of the maze disappeared as an expansive field opened up in front of her. Direct sunlight blinded Evanna, causing her to slow down in confusion. Coming to a complete stop, her widened eyes took in the site before her. Trees, grass, livestock, wooden buildings in the distance, open sky –all enclosed by four walls of the maze. She stood in shock and awe of her surroundings. But it wasn't complete without the huge wave of horror that washed over her, smothering her to her very core. It was the nightmare she never thought would happen. She was in _the Glade_.

Panting heavily, she timidly took a few steps back. Evanna turned around, wanting nothing more than to run straight back into the maze; nothing more than to go home. But luck was not on her side.

She came face to face with the flushed faces of the two of the boys that chased her out of the maze. Both of them were bent over, trying to gain back their breath. Evanna could feel the hair stand on the back of her neck as her nerves swam rampantly within her. Her eyes flickered back and forth between them.

"It's okay," the Asian boy (she recognized from earlier) puffed out. "We're not going to hurt you."

The tall blonde next to him spoke up, "My name's Newt and that's Minho. Do you know your name?"

Wariness flashed through her eyes. Of course she knew her name seeing as she wasn't one of them. She was just one of the few casualties to be had on the 'good side' (or at least she was told they were good).

Newt mistook her silence for a 'no'. "It's okay that you don't. Do you have any idea how you ended up in the Maze?" He took a few cautious steps toward her, limping slightly.

She unconsciously stepped back a few steps as they both began to advance. The feeling of being trapped was beginning to seep into her mind. She eyed the opening to the maze behind them. Both boys caught the subtle eye shift.

"If you run, we will chase you," Minho spoke up, warning prevalent in his voice.

Evanna shook her head. "Just let me go back," she said earnestly.

Both of their faces contorted into confusion and incredulity. "If we let you back into the Maze, you'll die! There's no way you'd survive the night!"

_If only they knew. _Evanna took a quick glance and noticed a small group quickly making their way towards chances of getting out were practically zero but she would hate herself if she didn't at least try. She turned back to Newt, Minho, and her way out, only to find Minho's hand closing over her wrist.

Evanna panicked, lashing out with her free hand and successfully hitting him in the stomach. He doubled over, his grip loosening and giving her the opportunity to yank her wrist away from his grasp.

She took off towards the forest, easily bypassing Newt with his slight limp. She raced down the overgrown field, past the wild flowers and animals. Her legs were straining to keep up the fast pace and her stomach cramped painfully. With the forest coming within reach, a small spark of hope went through Evanna. She'd be able to hide in the trees once she reached the forest. She could avoid any more contact with the Gladers. She could wait in the vegetation till things cooled down before making a break for the maze. So many possibilities flew around in her mind.

All thoughts came to a standstill as Evanna felt something slammed into her, knocking her off her feet. She went down hard, crying out in surprise. Once her head stopped spinning from the impact, she found her face was mushed into the ground and a force keeping her body pinned to the ground. She attempted to move her limbs but whatever (or whoever) was on her did a good job of immobilizing her. It didn't stop her though and she continued to struggle to get away.

"Way to go Gally!" she heard someone say close by.

The guy on her grunted, trying her keep her from moving. "She's definitely a fighter," he said with a moderately deep and slightly scratchy voice.

Evanna felt her arms being gathered from her sides and held together behind her back. The weight of Gally disappeared but a tugging sensation became prevalent on her arms. She was hauled up to her feet, stumbling back into the fellow as she tried to gain her balance.

Stabilizing, she finally took the time to look at those around her. Twenty to thirty people surrounded her, watching her with curiosity and hints of suspicion. If she had to guess, all seemed to be between the ages of 16 and 21. They were all different heights, weights and, ethnicities, but they all had one thing in common; they were all male.

She took a small step forward, trying to create a distance between her the boy behind her. His grip tightened on her wrists in return.

A dark skinned guy finally stepped in front of Evanna. He looked to be one of the oldest of the group, and most likely the leader of the group.

"Ah man," his deep baritone voice surprised her. "This is…" He paused, rubbing the back of his neck, a slight frown covering his features. "…unusual. We've never got people from the maze before, let alone a girl. The name's Alby. D'you remember your name?"

She said nothing. All of them were looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to answer. _Damn._

"It's Evanna," she said begrudgingly. She tried to tug on her arms to try and lessen the uncomfortable grip placed upon them, but it only made it worse.

"Well Evanna, it certainly ain't the best place to be stuck in, but welcome to the Glade."

_Stuck…_ The word hit her hard. She didn't want to admit it to herself when she first saw the boys in the maze and she definitely didn't want to admit it then. But life was a bitch and it appeared as if karma was rearing its ugly head.

"D'ya know why you were in the Maze?" Alby's voice broke her train of thought.

She simply looked at him, any trace of emotion absent from her face, but her eyes gave her away. "No." It was half true. Evanna watched as his eyes narrowed as the rest of the boys just looked at each other. Distrust pooled into his dark eyes. She knew she was a terrible liar, but there was no way in hell she was going to tell them anything. She wanted to survive this hell, not perish in it.

"If we were to release your arms, would ya try to run again?" he asked, trying hard to keep a scowl off his face. The grip on her wrists increased even more, becoming a bit painful. Clearly the boy with the death grip on her was not a fan of the idea.

Evanna looked behind her and Gally to the opening to the maze before looking back to Alby. Her face said it all –of course she would.

Alby sighed and shook his head. "Take her to the Slammer. I don't wanna have her goin' back in –it ain't safe."

The crowd around Evanna slowly dispersed, with a few taking second and third glances at her. The grip around her wrists faded as new pressure developed on her upper arm.

"Come on Greenie," the rough voice of Gally said. He started pulling her towards the wooden housing complex. Evanna quietly tagged along side of him feeling emotionally numb. She gave one last glance to the open doors of the maze. "You couldn't get away the first time and no matter how hard you fight, I wouldn't suggest tryin' it again."

"I'm more of a survivor than a fighter," she shot back, not bothering to look at him. He didn't say anything else.

They walked in silence until they came upon 'the Slammer'. To Evanna, it was more of a dirt cave with a barred wooden door and a rusty lock. Gally opened the door and all but shoved her in. She stumbled in, hitting the floor on her hands and knees. By the time she rotated back to the entrance, Gally had already locked her in and was gone. Sighing, she leaned back against the cold dirt wall, resting her arms on her knees. She silently listened to the noise that drifted from the Glade, watching the clouds pass by in the sky.

Evanna didn't know how long she sat there in silence, but the scrapping of the doors closing caught her attention. If she had any hope left, that was the moment it was crushed. She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head back against the wall, letting an old memory crawl into her mind.

'_So what happens if something happened and I came across one of those from the Glade?'_

'_You'll still have a way out as long as you're not caught. But if you are… well, let's just say you'll lose __**everything**__.'_


	2. First Impressions

_Author's Note: _Thanks to everyone who's added the story to their favorites and alerts and those who reviewed it! I seriously appreciate you guys! Hopefully I don't let you guys down as the story continues.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my character.

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><p>"<em>With your help, we will be able to create these..." A round faced woman stood in the center of the room and gestured to an enlarged picture behind her. Her blonde hair was pulled tightly back into a bun, her eyes were sharp and shoulders straight as she commanded the room. <em>

_Evanna could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight as she gazed at the picture. An uneasiness washed over her as she stared wide eyed at her next project. Many of her fellow scientists and engineers had felt the same way as gasps filled the room, but Chancellor Ava Paige didn't miss a beat. She continued her speech with the utmost confidence._

"_Although we realize this is not ideal, it is necessary. There are many who oppose WICKED –who don't agree with the research we carry out in order to find a cure for The Flare. They will do anything to stop us."_

"_**This**__ was designed to not only help contain our invaluable subjects but to keep them safe from the terrorists on the outside. We will be able to monitor them in a safe and controlled environment." _

_Ava stood proudly before them, a professional smile displayed on her face. "With your intellect, your expertise, and your willpower, we will be able to build these creatures. They will enable us to work on the research without a fear and be able to save to the World."_

_Applause startled Evanna as it erupted around her. Glancing around, she found many of her co-workers grinning and vocally approving their new project. She forced a smile of her own, trying to ignore the apprehension that burrowed deep within her._

-0-

Evanna woke with a start, scanning her surroundings. They were unfamiliar until yesterday's events flooded her mind. She sighed and ran a hand over her face. Her body ached tremendously from sleeping on the dirt floor. She sat up, cracked her neck and popped her back to relieve the stress on her joints.

"Glad to see you're awake." She whipped her head towards the barred wooden door to find Alby peering down at her. "Are you gonna try an' run again if I let you out?"

There was a heavy pause. As much as she wanted to run, Evanna knew she needed to be wise in her escape plan. The passageway she used to get in might not be closed. The threat they had made may have been nothing more than a scare tactic.

Evanna met his gaze and answered him evenly, "No."

He observed her silently before a giving her a small smile. It didn't reach his eyes. "Good… Ya know, this ain't the ideal place to be and unfortunately people have cracked livin' in here. But this is where we are, so we gotta make the best of it. We can't have Gladers hurting other Gladers; it ain't tolerated."

Alby's distrust of her was apparent and although he didn't say anything directly, his voice was thick with warning. "Come on," he said, finally opening the door to the Slammer. "I'll give ya a tour of the Glade."

-0-

She wasn't pleased; not at all. Evanna looked bitterly at the sight of corn stalks swaying carelessly in the wind and fruit trees encircled with fallen immature fruits. She turned back to the tomato vines in front of her and continued to pluck ripe tomatoes and place them in the basket behind her.

After the quick tour of the Glade with Alby, she had been introduced to a broad, rather dopey looking boy with a long face, named Zart. He was the Keeper of the Track-hoes, who were responsible for the tilling, weeding, planting, and harvesting of the crops. This was where she'd be working during her time in the Glade.

"Does she hafta be in our group?"

"Why'd Alby let her stay here?"

"We should send her back into the maze."

Evanna ignored the whispers of those around her as she worked. It didn't surprise her that there were some who unnerved by her appearance in the maze; it was to be expected. She was jolted from her thoughts when an apple hit her shoulder.

Whipping her around, she eyed the Gladers around her. Some tried to hide their laughter, while others simply continued working. She finally focused on two boys a couple over by the apple trees. One with buzzed black hair smiled smuggly while a shaggy brown haired boy cackled beside him. They noticed her looking but didn't bother averting their eyes, proud of what they did. Her eyes narrowed and she glared nastily, daring them to look away. After an uncomfortable amount of time, they finally looked away. Feeling a small amount of satisfaction, she turned back to the vine before her.

Over the next hour, Evanna ignored spiteful comments and a good amount of apples that were poorly aimed to hit her. But her tolerance for their immaturity was waning.

-_bam-_

"Son of a bitch!" Evanna swore as a hard object smacked into the back of her head. She cradled the sore spot with her hand as she watched an apple rolling slowly away from her. A few Gladers around her snickered.

"Nice one Teddy!"

Evanna gritted her teeth, her patience exhausted. Letting go of her head, she grabbed ahold of the apple that hit her. She straightened up and turned toward the two boys from earlier, just in time to witness the shaggy haired boy slap the other on the back before picking up his basket and walking off. Her nails dug into the apple, a small amount of juice trailed down her hand. She looked down at the apple, then back up to the buzz haired boy. A sly smile formed on her lips.

"Hey Teddy," she called out, a false grin plastered on her face. The laughter around her died out quickly. The Track-hoes had stopped what they were doing to watch.

The black haired boy looked over at her, a brief look of uncertainty washed over his face.

"Not many of those apples are ending up in your basket," she noted, gesturing to the fruits around her.

A smirk quickly replaced his confusion. "I thought I'd work on my target practice since my basket's full," he replied as he motioned to his overfilled basket. A few Gladers snickered, causing Teddy's smirk to grow wider.

"Huh. Really?" she questioned with a quirked eyebrow. She looked down at the apple in her hand, to Teddy's basket, back to Teddy. "I feel like there's room for one more."

Before he could reply, Evanna hurled the fruit at him, nailing him right in the crotch. Teddy yelped in pain, staggering back into his basket, knocking it over. She couldn't help the satisfying smile that curled her lips as the apples spilled out. Laughter shattered the silence that had surrounded the Gardens, covering the soft whimpers escaping from Teddy.

A familiar coarse voice cut through the loud snickers, "What the shuck is goin' on here?" The laughter quickly stopped. Evanna straightened up and turned to find Gally standing a few feet from her. A frown covered his features as he scanned the Garden. He looked at the strange sight of apples in the tomato vines around Evanna and Teddy crouched holding his privates.

"I ain't gonna ask again," he said, his gaze focused back on Evanna.

Evanna gave Gally an innocent look. "I was just helping Teddy here, with getting the apples in the basket. His aim was a bit off."

It didn't take Gally long to get a vague idea of what had happened. He rolled his eyes, turning his attention to Teddy who was finally standing up, face mixed of agony and fury. "Stop shuckin' around and pick up the apples Teddy," Gally ordered. "And you," he looked back to Evanna. "Come with me."

He turned away and walked toward the homestead, irritation rolling off him in waves. Sighing, Evanna followed quietly as they passed a few sniggering Gladers. They walked in silence for a little bit before Gally came to an abrupt halt and spun to face her. His eyes burned with frustration. She stumbled back in surprise.

"Why are you causin' problems?" he asked.

Evanna raised an eyebrow at him, "How was giving Teddy his apples back 'causin' problems'?"

"Don't shuck with me, Greenie. Instigatin' a fight? Have you not learned anythin' since being put in the Slammer?" He was piqued and clearly not willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

She snorted and crossed her arms. "Instigating a fight? You really think that I started that? How 'bout you get your facts straight before you start accusing people of shit," Evanna shot back.

"Your track record hasn't shown anythin' otherwise."

"Track record?! I've been here all but two days! Two! How the hell is that enough time to even have a track record?"

"It doesn't matter," he growled out. "If you want to continue living here in the Glade, you better buck up."

She just looked at him, her mind reeling. "You really have your mind set that I'm the bad guy here, don't you?" He didn't answer her. She shook her head, "Ridiculous."

Evanna turned away from him and began to walk off. She needed to clear her mind and calm down.

He quickly took a few steps forward, trying to grab ahold of her arm, "Hey—"

"Don't _touch_ me," Evanna snapped out as she yanked her arm away from his closing fist.

"I'm not finished talkin'," he stated getting in front of her.

"Well I am. Why should I continue to argue with you if you're not going to listen to me?"

"Look, I'm just tryin' to help you."

"How is this helping me?"

"The Glade has strict rules and you can't keep pushin' the line. It's how we live."

"How am I supposed to follow the rules when I'm being harassed?"

Gally opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. Evanna waited, wanting an answer. When he didn't give her one, she looked at him one last time before she brushed past him. With each step she took, she tried to fight against the anger and frustration washing over her.


	3. Escape Plans

_Author's Note:_ Thanks again for all those who Favorited/Reviewed/Alerted the story! You guys are awesome!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but my character

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><p>A soft breeze tousled Evanna's auburn hair as she sat against a fallen tree. She quietly watched the sun disappear over the maze walls. The Gladers kept their distance which gave her time to form her escape plan.<p>

Her goal was to reach the passageway. If they actually planned to go through with the threat, she had to act fast before they sealed it. But in order for her to get there, she needed to enter the maze.

There was a possibility she could sneak into the maze when the doors first opened, when most Gladers would still be asleep. Then it just depended on whether there was time for her to enter before the runners were up. She needed to monitor their departure and any other Glader activity the next couple days to decide whether or not it was practical.

Her other option was to climb the wall. That would depend on whether or not it was rocky enough to scale up. If it wasn't, she had noticed there were vines on parts of it that reached the top. She could climb up those so long as they didn't snap under her weight.

Evanna sighed; she wouldn't get to survey the grounds until everyone was deep in sleep.

Leaning her head back against the log, she watched the stars slowly appear in the night sky. The bonfire crackled in the distance along with the laughter and jests of the other Gladers. It was almost as if they didn't care they were stuck.

She continued to look at the stars for a while until she felt someone sit next to her. Turning her head, she found the tall blonde runner from the previous day.

"How's your first day goin'?" Newt asked as he settled into the spot.

She didn't notice it the day before, but he had an accent..._British maybe? _Evanna shrugged, "Could be better." She watched him message one of his legs, vaguely recalling his slight limp. "How's your leg doing?"

He shrugged as he pulled a face. "Could be better."

She couldn't help the faint smile that slid onto her face. He gladly returned it with a grin of his own. A brief moment of silence was shared between them.

"Ya know, I heard about what happened with Teddy," he said not bothering to beat around the bush.

Evanna's face quickly dropped and her body stiffened. "Ah." She didn't want to be chastised again.

Newt noticed her posture change, "Don't worry, you ain't in trouble. From the sounds of it, Teddy deserved it." He smirked when she met his stare, "You've got really good aim by the way."

She laughed —hard. His comment was so unexpected she couldn't help it. "I really don't," she replied as she caught her breath. "I was aiming for his face."

Surprise flashed over his face before his head fell back in laughter. They continued for a few minutes until Evanna's stomach started to cramp and Newt's cheeks hurt. Their amusement simmered, but their smiles didn't disappear.

"Aw man, I wasn't expectin' that," Newt said as he ran a through his short. He let out another chuckle.

"You're tellin' me," Evanna shook her head and rested her arms on her knees. "I thought you were going to be like Gally and lecture me."

His smile dropped as he stared at her. He was unaware of the argument between the two. "Ah shuck," he rubbed his face as he tried to find his words. "Gally's really not that bad. He's just… cares a lot?"

Evanna gave him a look, "You don't sound too sure of that."

"Well, it's not really a good way to describe it. Concerned? Defensive? Overbearing? …Protective maybe?" A frowned formed on his face. Shrugging, he gave up on trying to find the right word. "The point is, we're really not that bad when you get to know us. We're just a little rough in the beginning."

Before Evanna could say anything, a loud screech echoed throughout the Glade. She knew that sound. The memory of it gave her an involuntary shudder. She was on edge as she searched the walls surrounding the Glade as she tried to pinpoint where it came from.

"That was a Griever," Newt stated calmly. "They come out when the doors close to the Maze." Another ear splitting screech filled the air caused her to flinch.

"Aren't you afraid they'll get in?" she asked, her skin crawling at the thought.

Newt frowned and shook his head. "They've never come into the Glade," he replied. Slowly, she let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

He gave her a half smile. "You'll get used to the sound soon enough. Now come on, the good part is startin'."

Newt pushed himself off the ground. Following his lead, Evanna stood up and walked beside him towards a circle that had been formed by the Gladers. They cheered and laughed as two wrestled in the middle.

"I thought fighting each other was against the rules," she stated confused. She watched as one of the wrestlers throw the other down. Cheers erupted around them. When the winner came up, he had a massive grin on his face and he breathed heavily. She didn't realize it until their eyes met that the boy was Gally. His smile faltered as they stared at each other. She quickly broke eye contact and focused back on Newt.

"It's more of a test of strength than it is fightin'," he replied. They continued to walk around until they found an open spot in the circle and settled in.

They watched match after match where the younger Gladers challenging Gally. Each was a series of leg sweeps, tie ups, shoves, and headlocks until only the winner was left standing with an arrogant smile. But at the end of every match, Evanna watched Gally help up the beaten Glader and give them a pat on the back. It gave some truth to what Newt said; Gally _did_ seem to care. But it didn't matter; she wasn't planning to be there long enough to know that side of him.

-0-

_The prototype was complete. With its mechanized spear-shaped limbs, motorized scorpion-like tail, bulbous biological body, and alien-like head, it was easily one of the darkest creatures Evanna had ever seen. As it moved around, the gears and chains in its legs clinked and whirred. She shifted as she continued to watch the creature roam about jerkily. Noticing her movements, it focused on her and let out an awful screech that had her hairs standing on end. She flinched, thankful for the protective glass wall between them. It continued on its way. The sharp lances on its limbs dug it to the stone walls as it propelled itself up like a spider. Evanna had never hated spiders so much before in her life. _

"_Terrifying, isn't it?" Evanna looked over at her fellow colleague and friend, Kyle._

"_That's an understatement," she replied as she turned back to the creature. "Do you really think it was necessary to create this thing?"_

_Kyle frowned, "Why do you ask that?"_

"_I mean… this is a very dark creation. All the specs we put on it are made more for killing more than they are for protection."_

"_You need to stop thinking so deeply about this project, Eva. No one else questions it. And why does it matter as long as we're all still getting paid?" Evanna gave him a look for his absurd comment. He rolled his eyes, "Look, Chancellor Ava told us it was going to be used for good, and therefore it will be."_

"_She could've lied."_

"_Stop being a negative Nancy. Now come on; as much as I'd __**love **__to continue this, we're missing Taco Tuesday!"_

-0-

_Damn..._

Evanna scowled down at the three runners walking towards the entrance. The doors hadn't even opened yet and they were already gearing to go. She sighed and leaned back against the tree she was perched upon. If this was their routine, it left her with the less than ideal plan to climb the wall.


	4. The Wall

_Author's Note: _Hey Guys! It's been a couple weeks but I'm back with another chapter. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and followed the story; you guys are seriously awesome! I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. And just as a quick heads up, there is a little bit of sexual innuendo in this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but Evanna

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><p>Sunlight scattered around Evanna in fragments as she ventured deeper into the forest. Twigs and leaves crunched under her boots as she tried to avoid the numerous roots and shrubs.<p>

She stopped at the top of a small hill and frowned down at the uneven terrain below. Everything seemed so flat from the Gardens. Shrugging it off, she continued on her way. She moved past bushes, trees and a creek, but still no wall. She sighed. Escaping was becoming a pain in the ass.

Voices started drifting through the forest, and Evanna stilled. She hadn't expected anyone to be up this early besides the runners. She crouched down and moved towards the nearest tree hoping they wouldn't come her way. But luck wasn't on her side; the voices were getting louder.

Swearing, Evanna quickly grabbed a hold of the tree trunk and placed her foot in a bark hole. She pushed off the ground and latched onto the lowest branch. Hoisting herself up, she quickly scaled up the tree. Bark grated against her palms at every branch, but she pushed on until she could barely see the ground through the leaves. She settled down and waited.

"Do you think we need to go farther?"

"Why does it matter? We all do it."

"I know, but I don't like the others hearin' me."

Evanna caught glimpses of two Gladers, neither she knew by name. She remained motionless as they walked under her and came to a halt a few trees over. She could only see bits and pieces of them through the leaves.

"Quickly, before the others wake up."

Then it was silent other than some rustling. Tilting forward, she tried to see what they were doing. She could see one leaning against the tree, and the other looked like he was bent down in front of him. Her brows knit together in confusion. What _exactly_ were they doing?

A loud moan rung out in the forest.

Evanna's eyes widened in shock and her cheeks flared red. She stifled her gasp and quickly averted her eyes. Leaning back against the tree, she tried to focus on anything but the increasing groans and moans. After a few minutes, the noises stopped.

"That was," a breathless voice started, "fantastic. Thanks for that."

"Not a problem."

Evanna heard the sound of shuffling and released a soft sigh. It was finally over; now if they would just leave. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a flash of orange approaching between the leaves. Her head fell back against the tree and she tried to contain her annoyance. What was it with Gladers being in the forest early in the morning? She was losing her chance.

"Hey—" There was a short pause and someone awkwardly cleared his throat. "Have you seen the Greenie?" She frowned as she recognized the owner of the coarse voice.

"I haven't seen her." "Not since last night."

"Alright."

The orange shirted Glader disappeared from her view, and his footsteps followed him into the distance. Not long after, the other two finally moved as well.

"Ya know, even though he's kinda arrogant, I wouldn't mind doin' him."

"He does have a nice ass."

Evanna had to choke down her laughter at their raunchiness.

"Did you hear somethin'?"

She quickly slapped a hand over her mouth and the forest fell silent.

"I think you're hearin' things. Now come on." Their footsteps faded away.

Finally alone, Evanna dropped down to the ground. As she straightened out, she contemplated what to do now. The Gladers waking up earlier than she anticipated threw off her plan. Even worse, Gally was looking for her. If she continued to look for the wall, there was a good possibility she'd get caught. And she didn't have time to be sent to the Slammer again.

"Damn," She groaned out. She'd have to wait till later. In the meantime, she decided to see what Gally wanted.

-0-

The grass rippled beneath Evanna's feet as she made her was over to the open doors of the maze. The orange shirted Glader she sought stood in front of it. He stared at the entrance, appearing deep in thought.

Her paced slowed as she looked him over. Short brown hair, light brown eyes, a sloped nose, freckles and full lips; he really wasn't that bad looking. Her eyes skimmed his fit body, slowly wandering down to his ass. Not bad at all. She shook her head as she realized she was staring.

"Looking for me?" she asked, stopping a few feet away from him.

Gally turned toward her with a fleeting look of surprise, "Yeah... Thought you might've ran off."

Evanna narrowed her eyes and tried to keep the scowl off her face, "Well, I didn't." It wasn't a question.

When it was clear she wasn't going to say anything else, Gally continued. "No, I wanted to find you for this…" He held up a screwdriver and hammer.

She stared down at the tools before looking back up at Gally with a furrowed brow. She recalled that he was the Keeper of the Builders, but didn't understand what he wanted. "Do you want me to help you build something?"

He frowned, confused, "Wha—?" He glanced down at his hands and rolled his eyes. "No. They're for carvin'. Now come on." He turned and started walking.

Confused, Evanna followed him. As the wall neared, she could barely contain her smile; maybe luck was on her side. They stopped in front of it and she inspected the wall. The top was mostly smooth with the occasional irregularity. The bottom seemed to have numerous indentations. Looking closer she realized those gouges were all names. She continued to scan across the wall, her eyes lingering on a couple names that had been scratched out.

"Every Glader signs their name on the wall. Here."

She looked over and saw him holding the chisel and hammer up for her. Gingerly taking the tools, she found an unmarked part of the wall and began chipping away.

Gally leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. He stared out into the Glade while she worked.

"So where were you hidin'?"

Evanna stilled, glancing briefly at Gally before continuing on the last letter of her name. "What makes you think I was hiding?"

He chuckled under his breath and smirked. Pushing himself off the wall, he stepped closer to her. She finished chiseling and turned; he stood a foot in front of her. She was forced to look up from the height difference and her skin prickled at his nearness.

He slowly reached out towards her face, his hand barely brushed against her cheek. It traveled past and into her hair. Their eyes locked and time seemed to stand still.

But the moment was lost when Gally's smirked widened. He took a step back, holding a leaf.

"How else would a leaf get in your hair?" The proud look on his face said it all.

Evanna tried to hide her embarrassment with a scowl. "Those two were right about one thing; you are arrogant." His grin quickly disappeared and confusion took over. Giving him back the tools, it was her turn to smirk. "I bet you'd be nicer if you weren't so stressed. You know, if you need to _relieve _some of that tension, they would be willing to lend a hand; if you know what I mean."

She could see the wheels slowly turning in his head. Her smile widened and Gally glowered, his face as red as an apple. He opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off. "Now if you don't mind, I've got some harvesting to do." As she walked away, Evanna savored her victory over the haughty Glader.


	5. Racing Against Time

_Author's Note:_ Hey guys! It's been a while, hasn't it? Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and followed the story! You guys are seriously awesome! (I realize I say this every time but it's true; you guys are awesome!) I had actually finished this chapter back in early December but my friend who edits was on vacation so the story stalled for a bit (sorry 'bout that). But here it is. Hopefully you guys like it! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but Evanna.

* * *

><p>Evanna absentmindedly plucked another tomato from the garden. The wall wasn't rough enough to climb up without using the vines. This might not be ideal, but the vines would be safer than free-climbing. If she slipped or the vines broke under her, she'd have the chance of catching herself on others. She sighed and dropped the tomato into her basket. Time was slipping away; she needed to climb the wall soon.<p>

The sudden feeling of someone watching her caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. She knew who it was. He had been watching her like a hawk since their earlier encounter.

Her gaze flickered toward the Glader and he quickly returned to hacking a fallen tree. She didn't know why he was staring at her, but it was annoying and slightly unnerving. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the vines, her mind muddled with thoughts.

Last night had been a bust. Gally had stayed up extremely late, preventing her from sneaking out to check the vines more closely. By the time she was sure he was asleep, the runners were up again waiting for the doors to open. Her options, as well as her patience, were thinning.

-0-

Things hadn't been going her way for a while, even before she was stuck in the Glade. Having hit rock bottom, she thought the only way left was up. But it looked like there still room to fall. She didn't bother to hide her sneer when she felt the heavy gaze of the orange shirted Glader. He hadn't let up since yesterday, and it was becoming suffocating.

"Damn," she grumbled and ran a hand through her hair. She couldn't even focus on making plans due to all the irritation. She needed to do something –anything, to calm her nerves. She took a deep breath, stood and made her way to the forest.

She maneuvered through the trees and brush without paying attention to where she was going. Evanna soon found herself at a corner of the Glade.

"Oh come on!" she cried out. "I find the damn wall when I'm _not_ trying to look for it?!" She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she tried to control her emotions. This was not helping. "Fuck this shit," she growled out.

She turned and ran alongside the wall. Her hair whipped around her freely and beads of sweat dripped down her face as she raced. By the time she made it to another corner, Evanna was completely winded. She slowed to a walk and could feel pain everywhere- her lungs burned, sides were cramped, and legs felt like jello.

Evanna came to a halt and looked back at her path. The distance wasn't that far, maybe a mile or two max. If she could barely run a couple miles, what would happen in the maze? She wouldn't be able to outrun another Glader, let alone a Greiver. She would never make it back to the hidden passageway. The realization was hard to swallow. She needed to work on her strength and endurance before she worked on any other plan. It wasn't time efficient, but it needed to be done.

-0-

_The job had taken her longer than she thought. She knew she was pushing the time limit, but the exit wasn't far off. Making a right at the next intersection, Evanna continued to jog along the path. As she approached the next turn, the sound of grating rock filled the air. She frowned; the doors to the maze shouldn't be opening –the sun hadn't risen yet. Movement in the distance caught her eye. The entrance to the next pathway she needed was closing._

"_Shit!"_

_Evanna picked up the pace. If she didn't make it, she would be trapped in the maze. At that thought, she sprinted down the closing corridor. She tried to contain the panic that crept into her throat as the walls closed around her. She needed to make it. She had to make it. She didn't want to die._

_The passage was less than 6 feet wide now. She pushed her legs to the limit as the end neared. Her elbows scraped the ever nearing walls as she rushed through the last few feet. She escaped with a few moments to spare before the walls shut. With her momentum from the sprint, she couldn't stop before she slammed into the wall—_

Evanna was jolted from the memory as she tumbled to the ground. Confused and out of breath, she only saw the sky spinning above her. What the hell just happened? Did she trip? The spinning slowed and she found a familiar freckled face above her. That's when she realized she definitely hadn't tripped.

She cocked her head as she stared up at him, "You just can't get enough of me, ca—"

"What the shuck do you think you're doin'?" Gally cut her off in an angry growl.

"Taking a run?" She tried to get out from under him, but his arms on either side of her head didn't give her much room.

"Conveniently near the Maze?" He jerked his head to the side.

Evanna followed his gaze and found them surprisingly close to the entrance. "Oh…"

"Oh?" he mocked.

She turned back and found him glaring down at her, his gray eyes boring into hers. She bit her tongue and suppressed the urge to snap back at him. "You know, I've been running this path for over a week now," she stated in a mostly calm tone.

Disbelief quickly replaced the anger on Gally's face. "No way."

"How could you not notice? You've been tailing me since I got here!" Evanna failed to keep the irritation from slipping into her voice now.

Gally quickly frowned to cover up his reddening cheeks, "That ain't true."

Evanna quirked an eyebrow at him. "Oh really? What about that time you followed me through the corn fields thinking I was using it as a cover to run off? Or maybe when you followed me to the wash spot?" She could barely keep the smirk off her face as he flushed bright red.

Gally opened his mouth to retort but a sudden alarm and shouts of other Gladers drew their attention.

"Elevator's up!"

"Incoming! New Greenie and supplies!"

Gally stood up and looked down at Evanna, "This ain't over, Greenie."

"The name's Evanna," she yelled as he jogged off toward the others. She sat up and watched the Gladers converge.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she slowly made her way to the cluster. She stopped a few feet away and silently watched. Many of the Gladers snickered and playfully pushed each other. Through the gaps between them, Evanna was able to see a set of sliding metal doors in the ground.

There was a low rumbling before a metallic clank sounded. The boys pressed in as Alby opened the heavy doors.

"Look at that baby face."

"He's scrawny man!"

"What do you think he's gonna be?"

"Smells like klunk down there."

"What a shank!"

"Welcome to No Man's land, Greenie."

The newcomer was helped out of the crate-like elevator and the Gladers continued to jeer and jostle him. Evanna could see the confusion and hint of fear on his young face. Looks like she wasn't the Greenie any more.

-0-

Evanna watched from her spot on a tree stump as the newcomer, Jeff, was scrutinized by Gally. She felt bad for the boy. Even if Gally meant well, it wasn't fun to have him hovering over you. She sighed and stood. Better go help the new Greenie.

She stretched before she made her way over to the two boys. To get rid of Gally fast, she needed to embarrass him. Not only was it amusing, but it also made him stay away for a bit.

"Man, it hasn't been a day and he's already hitting on you?" Evanna asked Jeff as she got close.

"Sorry?" Jeff asked confused.

Gally rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "What do ya want?"

She ignored Gally and focused on Jeff. "I see you've met Gally here, Keeper of the Builders. He's really good with his hands." She slyly looked over to Gally, a smirk sliding onto her face, "And working with hard wood…"

"Damnit Evanna—"

"Like oak or cherry," she finished innocently. "I'm just trying to let the kid know what you do for a living… Such as hammering, nailing, pounding, screwing…"

She could see Gally's face turn red at her insinuations. Trying to intimidate her, he stepped closer and got in her face. "What do you think your doin'?"

Evanna fought against her instincts and stood her ground. "Well, I noticed you're not great at introductions so I thought I'd help you out."

"I don't need your help and I don't need you spreadin' lies."

"Lies?" She let out a quick chuckle. "Oh Gally, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Sex happens! Everyone does it!"

"I do not have time for this!" he ground out. Evanna watched as he stiffly turned on his heel and left. Another small victory for her!

With Gally gone, she focused back to the ebony skinned boy as he watched her with wary eyes.

"Hopefully he didn't bother you too much. By the way, I'm Evanna."

"Jeff," he replied quietly. A brief pause settled over them. "Is it true?"

She shrugged, "Only that last part."

"Then why did you say all that?"

"I thought you needed some help. He's not the greatest person to be breathing down your back."

A grateful smile broke out on Jeff's face. Evanna returned a small smile of her own.


End file.
